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must-visit in PotosíMuseum

Casa de la Moneda

📍 Calle Ayacucho, Potosí, Bolivia
Casa de la Moneda
1 photos
4.6/ 5.0
★★★★★

Introduction

The National Mint of Bolivia (Casa Nacional de la Moneda) in Potosí is one of the city's most important colonial buildings and museums, built in the 18th century to strike silver coins from the Cerro Rico mines. The present structure, rebuilt in 1759 in Baroque masonry around a central courtyard, served as the Spanish royal mint and was once the core of global silver coin production. The museum displays colonial minting machinery, coin dies, religious art, colonial furniture, indigenous and miner life artifacts, the famous painting \"Virgen del Cerro\" and Andean Baroque canvases. It comprehensively shows how Potosí's silver powered the global colonial economy, making it an irreplaceable site for world economic history from the 16th to 19th centuries and Latin American colonial history; inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 1987.

Highlights

1
1759 Baroque Mint Building
A massive masonry structure around a central courtyard, once the Spanish royal mint
2
Colonial Minting Machinery
Wooden roller presses and coin dies recreate 18th-19th century striking techniques
3
Virgen del Cerro Painting
An Andean Baroque masterpiece depicting Cerro Rico as the Virgin, blending religion and mining
4
Colonial Religious Art
Potosí school paintings, silver reliquaries and colonial furniture on display
5
Indigenous and Miner Life
Tools, clothing and daily objects reflect the lives of mining communities
6
Global Silver Economy
Explains how Potosí silver drove world trade and colonial economy, a key node in global history

🛈 Practical Info

HoursTuesday-Saturday 9:00-12:30 and 14:30-18:30, Sunday 9:00-12:30, closed Monday
AdmissionForeign visitors about BOB 40, includes mandatory guided tour
Recommended Duration2-3 hours; guided tour about 2 hours
Best SeasonMay-October dry season for comfortable visits
TransportIn central Potosí, about 5 minutes walk from Plaza 25 de Mayo

💡 Tips

Admission includes a mandatory Spanish or English guide; book English in advance
Allow ample time; exhibits are rich and the guided tour lasts about 2 hours
Some galleries are cool; bring a light jacket
Combine with a Cerro Rico mine tour and the cathedral for a full Potosí day
No flash photography; some galleries prohibit photos entirely

FAQ

Any practical tips for visiting Casa de la Moneda?

Admission includes a mandatory Spanish or English guide; book English in advance Allow ample time; exhibits are rich and the guided tour lasts about 2 hours

Information on this page is compiled from public sources. Opening hours, ticket prices and other details may change — please verify with official sources before your visit.